“Over the Top” by Marten Go!
Marten Go created the Over the Top art above. Click on it to see a Vegas-sized version. You can see more of Go’s art by following him on Twitter.
Category: Celebs
“Wander” (2020) / Z-View
Wander (2020)
Director: April Mullen
Screenplay: Tim Doiron
Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Tommy Lee Jones, Katheryn Winnick, Heather Graham and Raymond Cruz.
Tagline: The conspiracy is real.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Arthur Bretnik (Eckhart) has been on the verge of a mental breakdown since his wife and daughter were killed. He believes their deaths were covered up to hide a vast conspiracy. Bretnik’s paranoia has increased to the point that he lives in an old trailer out in the desert where he hosts a conspiracy podcast.
When he is hired to investigate a mysterious death in the small town of Wander, Bretnik begins to uncover evidence that his ideas about a conspiracy may not be crazy after all.
Wander does just that. It wanders. The story is all over the place. I kept thinking it would pull together for a satisfying conclusion. Sadly it didn’t. Wander has an excellent cast, but even they couldn’t save this film. Usually I only rate films as NOT FOR ME when I don’t complete watching them (but after allowing plenty of time for the story to develop). I watched all of Wander but couldn’t give it 2 stars. Wander rates 1 of 5.
“Nightmare Alley” (2021) / Z-View
Nightmare Alley (2021)
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Screenplay: Guillermo del Toro, Kim Morgan (based on the novel by William Lindsay Gresham)
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen, David Strathairn, Holt McCallany and Jim Beaver.
Tagline: None
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
When we first see Stanton Carlisle (Cooper) he has set fire to a house containing a dead body. Carlisle gets a menial job with a traveling carnival/freak show. It is there Carlisle learns he has the ability to read and manipulate people. Working with mentalist Madame Zeena and her alcoholic husband, Pete, Carlisle learns the tricks of the trade.
Realizing that he has the knowledge needed for a successful nightclub act, Carlisle talks Molly into leaving the carny. Two years later, Carlisle and Molly have hit the big time. She loves him and he says he loves her. All is roses until Dr. Lilith Ritter interrupts the act to prove Carlisle is a fraud. He is able to salvage the performance.
Ritter invites Carlisle to her office where he learns that she’s a psychologist. Both realize that with the information Ritter could provide about her rich clients, a fortune could be made using Carlisle’s talents. Soon they are having an affair and working as partners to fleeces some rich and dangerous people. But is Carlisle conning Ritter or she playing him?
Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley takes us on a dark journey. His Nightmare Alley provides more backstory than the 1947 film and doesn’t shy away from the horrific aspects of carnival life in the days before “freak shows” were outlawed. del Toro’s Nightmare Alley is exceptionally well cast. Bradley, Blanchett, Dafoe and Mara are the main stars and they shine. What del Toro did by getting Collette, Jenkins, Perlman, Steenburgen, Strathairn, McCallany and Beaver in supporting roles is make every scene a winner.
In a movie full of amazing performances, Bradley Cooper shines. Some of his standout scenes include manipulating the Sherriff who has come to shut down the carnival and arrest performers. This is when Carlisle discovers his gift of reading people. The surprise lie detector test scene and the final scene of the film (which I won’t spoil) are also memorable.
Nightmare Alley won’t appeal to everyone despite all that it has going for it. The lead characters are not good people and they make bad choices. There’s no upbeat ending. With that said, I loved Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley. It took me to another time and place. I was hooked on the mystery; intrigued by the characters and impressed by the cast. Nightmare Alley stayed with me long after the movie was over. I rate it 5 of 5 stars.
Bruce Lee by Jason Raisch – Limited Edition Prints to Benefit the Bruce Lee Foundation!
Jason Raish created the limited edition print above for a collaboration with Shoe Palace, Bottleneck Gallery to benefit the Bruce Lee Foundation.
100% of the profits from this print will go directly to the Bruce Lee Foundation. There is also a variant gold edition. Both will be on sale starting Friday, February 4th at noon EST through Sunday, February 6th, ending at 11:59 pm EST at Bottleneckgallery.com!
Humphrey Bogart’s Best Films!
Humphrey Bogart is one of the world’s most famous actors. Bogart appeared in over 80 films, was nominated for 3 Best Actor Oscars (winning one). Bogart wasn’t your typical leading man. He wasn’t particularly tall (5’8″), or muscular and he didn’t have classical good looks. Yet, the ladies loved him and he was considered a man’s man. On screen Bogart held your attention. Although he was just 57 when he died, Bogart left us with many great films. Here are my five favorites…
1. Casablanca (1942): Many consider Casablanca to be not only Bogart’s best film, but the best film of all time. It is a classic. I never tire of watching Casablanca and had this been the only film on his resume, it would have still made him famous.
2. Key Largo (1948): has grown on me over the years. I’ve always loved it, but Key Largo gets better with each new viewing. Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Edward G. Robinson and Lionel Barrymore round out the cast.
3. The Maltese Falcon (1941): Bogart plays PI, Sam Spade. The film is based on Dashiell Hammett’s classic novel, with a screenplay and direction by John Huston (his first time directing). The Maltese Falcon features an all-star cast; joining Bogart are Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet, Ward Bond and Elisha Cook, Jr.
4. The Big Sleep (1946): Bogart plays PI, Phillip Marlowe. Howard Hawks directs this classic that also stars Lauren Bacall and Martha Vickers. Dorothy Malone has a small role, but what an impact she makes!
5. To Have and Have Not (1944): Howard Hawks again directs Bogart and Bacall who are joined by Walter Brennan in an adaptation of Ernest Hemmingway’s classic novel.
Bogart made several other films that almost made my top five: In a Lonely Place, The Caine Mutiny, The African Queen, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and The Harder They Fall are also all excellent films.
“The Last Duel” / Z-View
The Last Duel (2021)
Director: Ridley Scott
Screenplay: Nicole Holofcener & Ben Affleck & Matt Damon (based on the book by Eric Jager)
Starring: Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Jodie Comer and Ben Affleck.
Tagline: The truth has different versions.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
The Last Duel is the true story of the last trial by combat officially sanctioned by the King of France. The battle took place on December 29, 1386, between Knight Jean de Carrouges (Damon) and Squire Jacques Le Gris (Driver). They had been friends who once fought side-by-side. Over the years de Carrouges felt cheated by Le Gris. He was also jealous of Le Gris’ friendship with Count Pierre d’Alençon (Affleck), a relative of the King. The duel was a result of de Carrouges’ wife accusing Le Gris of rape.
The Last Duel is told in three parts, each being the truth as seen by Jean de Carrouges, Jacques Le Gris, and Marguerite de Carrouges. This is an interesting method of story presentation (a la Rashômon), but adds to the length of the tale, which could benefit from being shorter.
The acting is first rate.
This may be Damon’s best performance ever. His character is a volatile, angry man who feels (and is) slighted by Count Pierre d’Alençon. I admired de Carrouges’ willingness to sue royalty, confront Le Gris and the Count to support his wife’s accusation… but also know his abrasive personality caused him many problems.
I was surprised by how good Ben Affleck is in his role as the Count. His performance here was as good as in The Tender Bar!
The Last Duel rates 4 of 5 stars.
RIP: Bob Wall
Robert “Bob” Wall, martial artist and actor, died yesterday at the age of 82. No cause of death was reported.
Bob Wall was a 9th degree Black Belt who began his career as co-owner of the Sherman Oaks Karate Studio in California. When Mr. Wall’s partner decided to sell his interest in the studio, Chuck Norris became co-owner with Wall.
Bob Wall was also an actor best known for his role as O’Harra in Bruce Lee’s classic Enter the Dragon. Mr. Wall also had roles with Lee in Way of the Dragon and Game of Death. Bob Wall also appeared in several Chuck Norris movies (Code of Silence, Invasion U.S.A., Firewalker, Hero and the Terror and Sidekicks) as well as Norris’ Walker, Texas Ranger series.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Bob Wall’s family, friends and fans.
Letters / Postcards for George Perez!
On December 7, 2021, the news broke that legendary artist George Perez had inoperable stage three pancreatic cancer. Mr. Perez, 67, is known for his amazing art on titles such as The Teen Titans, Crisis on Infinitive Earths, The Avengers and so many more. George Perez released the following at that time:
“I have Stage 3 Pancreatic Cancer. It is surgically inoperable and my estimated life expectancy is between 6 months to a year. I have been given the option of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, but after weighing all the variables and assessing just how much of my remaining days would be eaten up by doctor visits, treatments, hospital stays and dealing with the often stressful and frustrating bureaucracy of the medical system, I’ve opted to just let nature take its course and I will enjoy whatever time I have left as fully as possible with my beautiful wife of 40 years, my family, my friends and my fans.”
Since the announcement, Mr. Perez has posted regular updates on his Facebook page. George Perez has displayed amazing grace, peace of mind and love of live. Shelton Drum, owner of the Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find comic store and creator of HeroesCon, is collecting letters/postcards for George Perez that he will personally deliver. All must be received by February 20th. If you’d like to participate the address is:
Letters To George Perez
c/o: Heroes Aren’t Hard To Find
PO Box 9181
Charlotte NC 28299
Amazing Rocky Balboa Art by Ethan Pro!
Ethan Pro created the amazing pencil drawing of Sly Stallone as Rocky. You can see much more of Pro’s art (including more Stallone art) at his Instagram.
RIP: Howard Hesseman
Howard Hesseman, actor and comedian, has died at the age of 81 of complications from colon surgery. Best known for his starring roles on WKRP in Cincinnati and in Head of the Class, Mr. Hesseman has over 150 credits on his acting resume.
Howard Hesseman alternated between roles on television and feature films. In addition to the tv shows mentioned, some of Mr. Hesseman’s major television appearances included roles on The Andy Griffith Show, Sanford and Son, The Bob Newhart Show, Soap, One Day at a Time, The New WKRP in Cincinnati, That ’70s Show, Boston Legal and Fresh Off the Boat. Some feature film appearances include: Billy Jack, The Sunshine Boys, Silent Movie, The Jerk, and Heat.
Surprisingly, I never watched WKRP in Cincinnati or Head of the Class. I still enjoyed seeing Howard Hesseman whenever he appeared in a tv show or movie. I first saw (and remembered him from) Billy Jack. Mr. Hesseman always made whatever show or movie he was in funnier.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Howard Hesseman’s family, friends and fans.
The Sunshine Boys (1975) / Z-View
The Sunshine Boys (1975)
Director: Herbert Ross
Screenplay: Neil Simon
Starring: Walter Matthau, George Burns, Richard Benjamin, F. Murray Abraham and Howard Hesseman.
Tagline: For the price of a movie, you’ll feel like a million!
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
At one time Lewis & Clark, aka The Sunshine Boys, were the Kings of Vaudeville. Audiences loved their routines and the comedy duo had a long, successful run. Sadly, when Lewis & Clark broke up, they’d reached the point that neither could stand the other. They haven’t talked in years.
Now an opportunity to perform together on television has appeared. Will The Sunshine Boys be able to put aside past differences and catch lightning in a bottle once again?
As I watched The Sunshine Boys I couldn’t help but think how our perception of the elderly has changed. When Lewis got lost, couldn’t open a door and yelled at people, audiences in 1975 probably thought, “This old guy is quite a character.” I couldn’t help but think, I wonder if he has onset dementia.
I was expecting more laughs from The Sunshine Boys. The best scene is when Lewis & Clark first get together to rehearse the routine they’ll perform on tv. Sadly the rehearsal is funnier than the actual performance. Also Lewis comes off as a real jerk. It’s no wonder Clark didn’t want to perform with him any longer.
Still The Sunshine Boys does have it’s moments. George Burns is a joy and it’s no wonder he won an Oscar for his performance (which was the first movie he’d made in over 30 years)! The scene of Lewis auditioning for a potato chip commercial is funny. The interactions of Lewis & Clark are the heart of the movie and I wish we had more of them.
The Sunshine Boys earns 3 of 5 stars.
“Nobody” / Z-View
Nobody (2021)
Director: Ilya Naishuller
Screenplay: Derek Kolstad
Starring: Bob Odenkirk, Aleksey Serebryakov, Connie Nielsen, Christopher Lloyd, Michael Ironside and RZA.
Tagline: Never underestimate a nobody.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Hutch Mansell lives a mundane life. He has a wife (they are drifting apart), a son and daughter. His job is routine and he’s in a rut. Things get worse when burglars break into his house to rob it and Mansell does nothing to stop them. His son sees him as a coward, and the rest of the family looks at him with pity. What they don’t know is that Mansell used to worked as a CIA “auditor” who was sent in as a last resort to “clear the books”.
As Mansell’s anger builds he goes looking for the two thieves. When five thugs on a bus begin to terrorize a young lady, Mansell takes out his rage on the would-be tough guys, hospitalizing all of them. Unfortunately one of the mooks is the brother of a crazy Russian crime boss who will bring the full weight of his organization down on Mansell and his family.
Let the good times roll!
Nobody can be described as John Wick light. Bob Odenkirk is surprisingly effective as the former CIA auditor and Nobody shows how talented he is. To go from Sal Goodman to Hutch Mansell is more than a stretch. The scene on the bus is fun and surprisingly violent. I referred to Nobody as John Wick light and the humor is what takes it down a notch. Plus when Mansell’s dad (Lloyd) starts blowing away a Russian hit squad you know we’re in a different universe.
I really enjoyed Nobody. It was a fun ride with plenty of action and humor. It rates 4 of 5 stars.
Bruce Lee’s “Way of the Dragon” – Marten Go Presents The Entire Cast!
Marten Go started out wanting to draw the main characters from Bruce Lee’s Way of the Dragon and ended up drawing the entire cast! Click on the photo to see it dragon-sized!
“The Endgame” Directed by Justin Lin – The Trailer is Here!
The Endgame trailer looks like it was made for a feature film. Maybe it is because Justin (Star Trek Beyond; F9: The Fast Saga) Lin is directing. Morena Baccarin and Ryan Michelle Bathé star. The Endgame premieres February 21st. Deal me in.
Morena Baccarin and Ryan Michelle Bathé star in the ultimate high-stakes showdown between criminal mastermind Elena Federova and FBI Agent Val Turner. When they play Elena’s game, deadly truths are revealed… and everyone bows to the queen.
“Hellblazers” – The Trailer is Here!
From time to time you hear read me talking about drive-in movies. They feature c-level celebrities or stars from the past in low budget films usually in the horror genre. Even when they’re not great (which is often) they can be fun. Hellblazers looks like it qualifies as a drive-in movie.
Stars from the past? Tony Todd, Adrienne Barbeau, Bruce Dern, Meg Foster, Billy Zane. Check.
Low budget? Check.
Horror genre? Check.
Fun? I’ll get back to you after I watch it. So deal me in.
Focused on unleashing hell on earth, a satanic cult conjures up a demon and sets to the task of feeding it the populace of a nearby southwestern town.
CAST: Tony Todd, Adrienne Barbeau, Bruce Dern, John Kassir, Meg Foster, Edward Finlay, Ed Morrone, Billy Zane
DIRECTOR: Justin Lee
